Emily’s murder

IN EXPRESSING outrage and horror at the brutal murder of four-year-old Emily Anamanthodo, the Greater Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce yesterday called on Government to pay special attention in the upcoming 2006-2007 Budget, to the abuse of minors and protection of vulnerable groups in society.

Chamber president Rohan Roopnarine said the child’s gruesome murder “is testament to the constant deterioration in our society.” Observing that Anamanthodo’s death could have been prevented if TT’s protective and social services “were afforded the full resources to deal with these particular cases”, Roopnarine said this murder and that of six-year-old Sean Luke “demonstrates that our wider society is not benefiting from the country’s oil and gas windfall.”

He argued that if a small percentage of TT’s energy revenues was allocated to the vulnerable groups in the society, especially in dealing with physical and sexual abuse amongst children and senior citizens, in the form of training, counseling, shelter and listing of known sexual offenders, “then we can rest assured we don’t have to read about another Emily or Sean Luke.”

To this end, Roopnarine called on Government to address these issues in its 2006-2007 Budget and reminded Government about “the spiralling cost of living which makes these groups even more susceptible.”